SAMSUNG GALAXY S7 EDGE AND GALAXY S7 PLUS RUMORS AND NEWS
Leaked image of the Galaxy S7 Edge reveals some of the specs, including a lower megapixel camera
After offering just one Edge phone in 2014, the Galaxy Note Edge, Samsung surprisingly offered two such devices in 2015. In doing so, however, the company moved the series to the Galaxy S line, calling them the Galaxy S6 Edge and the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus (pictured above). The Galaxy S6 Edge sports a 5.1-inch display, while the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus features a display that is a more phablet-like 5.7 inches. Now, rumors are heating up about the Galaxy S7 Edge and S7 Plus.
The question is if there will be one or two models in 2016. Here’s everything we know so far.
Same specs as the regular Galaxy S7
Most reports agree that the screen size and curve (or lack thereof) will be the only real differences between the S7 and the S7 Edge.
A prototype of what appears to be a Galaxy S7 Edge appears to have gotten into the hands of one Reddit user. He did capture the phone on camera, and although it doesn’t reveal any design elements, it does reveal some of the hardware specifications.
This model (SM-G93) has a 5.7-inch display, which differs from previous leaks indicating that the Galaxy S7 and Edge models would come in 5.1-, 5.5-, and 6.0-inch varieties. The resolution comes in at 2,560 x 1,440, which agrees with previous reports. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 is also present along with 4GB of RAM, which isn’t surprising.
The camera sensors are probably the most interesting. The rear camera comes in at 12 megapixels, while the front lens is 5 megapixels. This might seem surprising since the rear camera would appear to be a downgrade from the 16 megapixels found on the Galaxy S6. However, based on reports in November 2015, this isn’t shocking. It was rumored that Samsung would increase the sensor size to 1/2.0 inch from 1/2.6 inch and could utilize a 12-megapixel lens to make it happen. The increased sensor size would mean even better performance in low-light shots.
Samsung is also rumored to also equip the Galaxy S7 and Edge models with dual-PD (dual-photodiode) technology, which would increase the accuracy of the auto focus with phase detection.
So the drop in megapixels doesn’t necessarily mean that the camera won’t be improved on the Galaxy S7.
Of course, non of this is official until Samsung reveals the Galaxy S7 and Edge models for real. For now, it’s all speculation.
Reports in November 2015 indicated the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 will reportedly power at least the U.S. variants of the S7 Edge, it could sport 4GB of RAM, Type-C USB, and a 20-megapixel camera. A fingerprint sensor or iris scanner has also been rumored. You can catch up on all the Galaxy S7 rumors, many of which apply to the S7 Edge, here.
The HDBlog.it report also states that the MicroSD card slot could return, and the top and bottom edges of the screen may be curved.
Galaxy S7 Edge of varying sizes
Over the course of December, rumors have been all over the map with varying screen sizes for the Galaxy S7 and the S7 Edge, but a new schematics leak from casemaker ITSKINS might put the numbers in place.
According to GSMArena’s sources at ITSKINS, the Samsung Galaxy S7 will not be curved and will sport a 5.1-inch screen. The report claims that the S7 Edge will only come in a 5.5-inch screen size and will be curved. Surprisingly, the Galaxy S7 Plus will feature a massive phablet-approved 6-inch screen.
Take the information with a grain of salt, though, as it’s hard to figure out which leak is the most accurate, but this one seems to fit Twitter user @evleaks’ earlier leak about how the Galaxy lineup will include the S7, S7 Plus, S7 Edge, and S7 Edge Plus. There’s no mention of the S7 Edge Plus in this leak, but with the varying sizes for the normal S7, we could see another size option for the S7 Edge, too, especially since the company has done it before.
In 2015, Samsung introduced two Edge models at different times of the year. The smaller Galaxy S6 Edge arrived in March at MWC, while the larger Galaxy S6 Edge Plus came along with the Note 5 in August.
This year, Samsung might launch the S7 and S7 Edge at the same time again, but with different screen sizes. Previous leaks from Korea’s ETNews claims that the S7 may feature a 5.2-inch display, which would be larger than the 5.1-inch screen on the S6. Meanwhile, the S7 Edge will reportedly boast a larger 5.5-inch screen.
Such a size would be much larger than last year’s S6 Edge, which had the same screen size as the regular S6, but it would also be smaller than the 5.7-inch screen that Samsung put on the S6 Edge Plus. ET News also mentions that mass production is set to start in February, hinting at a possible February launch date.
Other previous rumors of two display sizes originated from Samsung Viet in mid-October, which claimed that two display sizes, 5.2 and 5.8-inch, were being tested. The report said that both devices were non-Edge, but a more recent report from HDBlog.it claims that the S7 display will be 5.2-inches, while the S7 Edge will have a 5.7-inch display instead. That report correlates with information given to ETNews, though the reported screen sizes are different in all three reports.
No Galaxy S7 Edge Plus?
Initially, it sounded like both devices would be non-edge displays with two different size offerings, similar to what what Apple does with the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, leading us to wonder about the demand of the S6 Edge. However, newer reports suggest that there will be an S7 and S7 Edge — similar to last year. Reports disagree on whether there will be an S7 Edge Plus, too.
Assuming Samsung only offers one Edge model, and it’s the larger version, its name would be another question. It might be named the Galaxy S7 Edge Plus, but it would seem weird if there wasn’t a base (non-Plus) model as well. Samsung could also simply call it the Galaxy S7 Edge, but that would also be strange since it might be larger than the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, if earlier rumors in October are to be believed.
Of course, this all hearsay and as much fun as it is to speculate on what Samsung might be thinking. nothing is set in stone until we hear it directly from the horse’s mouth. Whatever the company decides, let’s hope those edges actually become more useful. Good looks alone can only get you so far.
